Cartridge



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. B. WOODRING ETAL CARTRIDGE July 19, 1966 Filed March" 30, 1964 I) z /AIIE INVENTORS. W/LL/AM B. WODR//VG CHARLES O. W/LL/AMS ATTORNEY July 19, 1966 w. B.wooDR1NG ETAL 3,261,291

CARTRIDGE Filed March 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-5 INVENTORS. W/LL/AM B. WOODR/NG CHARLES O. W/LL/AMS lay/HM ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,261,291 CARTRIDGE William B. Woodring, Stoney Creek, and Charles 0. Williams, Hamden, Conn., assignors to Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Mar. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 355,853 6 Claims. (Cl. 1112-42) The present invention relates to cartridges and relates, in particular, to low cost cartridges.

A particular feature of the present invention is the provision of a dependable cartridge having a minimum of structural piece parts.

A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a plastic or metallic cartridge of W cost and simple, uncomplicated design.

It is .a further feature of the present invention to provide in a plastic or metallic cartridge a metallic container structure which serves dually as a primer package and as a rivet for retention of the container within the cartridge.

It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a simply constructed, closed primer package.

It is a further feature of the present invention to provide in a plastic shotshell a novel head structure in cornbination with a rimre-type primer,

It is a further feature of the present invention to providc a plastic shotshell having a raised annular boss projecting from the head thereof to effect a bolt engaging surface.

It is a further feature of the present invention to` provide in a cartridge a rimflre-type primer so constructed rand arranged with respect to the cartridge head that the primer can be red by squeezing la portion of the rim thereof between the head of a firing pin on one side and the cartridge head on the other.

It is a further feature of the present invention to provide in a cartridge a primer which is riveted into the cartridge head.

A further feature of the present invention is the provision in a cartridge of a rimfire primer eccentrically mounted with respect to the cartridge head so that the primer may be tired in a conventional center fire firearm.

The invention also embraces the concentric disposition of a rimfire type primer in a plastic shotshell and in this embodiment of the invention it is necessary to use a shotgun in which the firing pin is eccentrically mounted.

A cartridge embracing certain features of the present invention may comprise a tubular body connected to a head, said head having a central aperture for receiving a primer, a rimfire type primer disposed in the aperture and projecting into the interior of the tubular body, said primer being closed and having a pair of spaced annular rims eective to make a rivet-like connection with the head of the cartridge.

A method of riveting a rimfire primer to the head of a cartridge embracing certain principles of the present invention may comprise the steps of inserting a primer having a tubular body and an annular rim into a primer opening in the head of a cartridge so that the rim of the primer is seated against the head of the cartridge and the body of the primer projects into the interior of the cartridge and upsetting that portion of the body of the primer which projects into the interior of the cartridge to develop an outwardly projecting flange or second rim effective to rivet the primer to the cartridge.

Other features and advantages of the persent invention will become more apparent from an examination of the succeeding specification when read in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. l is a vertical section of a plastic shotshell embracing the principles of the present invention;

3,261,291 Patented July 19, 1966 FIG. 2 is a vertical section of a plastic shotshell including tooling shown schematically for fastening a rimre primer;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary View of the lower portion of FIG. 1 with appropriate sections for clarity showing the disposition and configuration of the primer with respect to the plastic shotshell head 4after riveting;

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein the primer is eccentrically disposed in the shotshell head;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the primer and head structure of the present invention after firing.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates a plastic shotshell having a tubular body 11, a head 12, flange 13, primer aperture 14, integral closure 16 (integra1 closure is :intended to means that the closure is integral with the body 11), protective collar 15, shot charge 17, filler wad means 18, cup wad 19, powder charge 21, and double-rimmed, rivet-like container or primer 22.

The primer 22 has a first rim 23 for receiving primer compound 24 in well known fashion. The primer 22 is formed with a second rim 26 which, in combination with tubular body 27 -and first rim 23, defines a rivet structure operative to retain the primer within the head of the plastic shotshell.

As is most apparent in FIG. 3, the primer is gathered 0r pleated as at 28 to form a closure suiciently tight to prevent powder 21 from dropping into the interior of the body 27.

Obviously the crimps and pleats shown at 28 are releasable as is apparent from the condition of the primer closure indicated by the reference numeral 29 in FIG. 5 after the `occurrence of firing.

If desired, the plastic shotshell head 12 may be formed with an outwardly projecting annular boss or shoulder 31 to effect a bolt engaging surface.

The boss 31 insures that upon closing the bolt, the forward face of the bolt engages the boss 31 and drives the shotshell 10 forwardly to seat it in the chamber of the shotgun so that the flange 13 is snugly seated in the charnber 32 as shown in FIG. 1.

The boss is so dimensioned with respect to the head dimensions of the shotshell and the breeching dimensions of the gun that the shell is placed under slight compression as the breech is closed. This insures full delivery of the ring pin blow to the primer, with no less of energy by cushioning of the blow.

Note that the first rim 23 of `the primer 22 is seated in a recess 33 so that a plane including the boss 31 will be offset and spaced from the primer. Thus, th'e bolt face does not strike the primer.

In addition, the recess 33 is oversize relative to the diameter of the rim 23 to insure that, upon firing, there is no interference with firing pin 34 (FIG. 3) as it impacts with the rim.

Referring to FIG. 2, the process of developing the second rim 26 to rivet the primer to the plastic shotshell is disclosed schematically. A rimfire primer 36 is shown seated in the primer aperture of a plastic shotshell with its first rim 23 bottomed in recess 38 and a forwardly projecting closed head 39 extending into the shotshell interior. An anvil 41 supports the entire surface area of rim 23 and crimping tool 42 is lowered slowly into contact with closure 39 to deform the rosette of lclosure 39 into the configuration shown in FIGS. l -and 3 effective to develop second rim 26.

The primer 36 as shown in FIG. 2, lled with suitable priming material 24, is closed and pleated in rosette `fashion prior to insertion into the shotshell and prior to formation of the second rim.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment wherein a rivet-like primer 44 is eccentrically disposed relative to the shotshell head 46.

It is anticipated that a wide variety of modifications may be devised in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A one-piece plastic shotshell in combination with a one-piece metallic primer, the improvement comprising an annular boss projecting from the primer end of the shotshell to provide a bolt engaging face, an annular recess formed in said primer end and dimensioned to pr-ovide tan annular clearance between the rim of the primer and the boss, said primer defining a closed, hollow rivet and the shotshell including a charge of iron shot surrounded by a protective collar.

2. A shotshell comprising a one-piece plastic tubular body having an integral head portion at one end thereof, a primer aperture extending through said head portion, a one-piece metallic primer extending through said aperture and including a rst rim portion in engagement with the outer surface of said head portion and a second rim portion in engagement with the inner surface of said head portion, said primer having its inner end portion crimped to form an enclosed chamber, and a powder charge contained within said tubular body adjacent the inner surface `of said -head portion and said crimped end portion of said primer.

3. The shotshell of claim 2 wherein said primer is a rimfire primer and includes a primer compound positioned within said first rim portion.

4. A shotshell comprising a one-piece tubular body including ahead portion at one end thereof, an annular boss projecting from said head portion to provide a bolt engaging face, an annular recess in said boss, a rimfire primer mounted within said head portion having a first rim engaging the bottom .of said recess, the walls of said recess being spaced from said rim, said primer including a second rim in contact with the internal surface of said head portion.

5. A shotshell comprising a one-piece plastic tubular body including a head portion at one end thereof, a cylindrical primer aperture extending through said head portion, a one-piece rimiire metallic primer extending through said aperture and including a tubular body portion, a first rim portion at one end of said body portion in engagement with the outer surface of said head portion and a second rim portion `at the other end of said body portion in engagement with the inner surface of said head portion, the interior end portion of said primer being crimped to form a closed hollow rivet, a powder charge positioned within said tubular body adjacent the interior surface of said head porti-on and said end portion of said primer, and a charge of iron shot within said tubular body surrounded by a protective collar.

6. The shotshell of claim 5 wherein said head portion includes an annular boss projecting therefrom to provide a bolt engaging face and an annular recess having its Wall portion spaced from said first rim portion of said primer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 112,305 8/1871 White 102-45 161,514 3/1875 Hunting 102-44 226,167 4/ 1880 Gardner 102-43 838,493 12/1906 Bailey 102-45 932,562 8/ 1909 Muenzenmaier 102-45 963,911 7/1910 Loeble 102--45 1,461,013 7/1923 Hodge 102-45 2,591,286 4/1952 Paulve 86-10 2,890,615 6/1959 Lefebvre 86-10 2,970,543 2/ 1961 Dufeld 102--45 3,055,301 8/1962 Miller et al 102-42 3,139,030 6/1964 Yamamoto 102-45 3,162,124 12/1964 Miller 102-42 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,105,279 6/1955 France.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL FEINBERG, Examiner.

R. F. STAHL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A ONE-PIECE PLASTIC SHOTSHELL IN COMBINATION WITH A ONE-PIECE METALLIC PRIMER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AN ANNULAR BOSS PROJECTING FROM THE PRIMER ENF OF THE SHOTSHELL TO PROVIDE A BOLT ENGAGING FACE, AN ANNULAR RECESS FORMED IN SAID PRIMER END AND DIMENSIONED TO PROVIDE AN ANNULAR CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE RIM OF THE PRIMER AND THE BOSS, SAID PRIMER DEFINING A CLOSED, HOLLOW RIVET AND THE SOTSHELL INCLUDING A CHARGE OF IRON SHOT SURROUNDED BY A PROTECTIVE COLLAR. 